Current Projects

Deconstructing the Vascular Cambium: A Spatial Approach to the Primary-to-Secondary Growth Transition in Eucalyptus

Eugene Badenhorst investigates how Eucalyptus trees initiate wood formation by studying the transition from primary to secondary growth. Using spatial transcriptomics, he maps gene expression within intact tissue to preserve spatial context often lost in bulk sequencing.

Advancing Early Drought Stress Detection in Eucalyptus Using Digital Phenotyping and Machine Learning

Peaceful Ntshangase is currently conducting MSc research focused on drought stress detection in eucalyptus seedlings using advanced digital phenotyping and machine learning approaches. The study investigates the physiological and structural responses of different eucalyptus genotypes under both well-watered and drought-stressed conditions within a controlled glasshouse environment. The research makes use

Investigation Soil Feeding Activity in Eucalyptus Plantations

Michelle Eckert’s research focused on advancing the use of the bait-lamina test, a well-established, non-destructive method for quantifying soil feeding activity by soil fauna in Eucalyptus plantations. By inserting bait-filled plastic strips into the soil profile, the technique provides an integrative measure of below-ground biological activity across sites and treatments.

Investigating the Effects of Eucalyptus Species and Planting Density on Soil Nutrient Dynamics in the Western Cape

Athini Buqa is registered in soil sciences, supervised by profs Ailsa Hardie-Peters, Cathy Clarke and David Drew. Her research investigates how Eucalyptus species and planting density influence soil nutrient dynamics under Mediterranean climate conditions in the Western Cape. Based at the IMPACT Open-Air Lab long-term field experiment at Lourensford, her

Leaf Traits and Biotic Stress Responses in Eucalyptus

Stacey Marinus is a postgraduate student at EucXylo investigating how leaf traits influence pest interactions in young Eucalyptus species. Her research focuses on analysing both morphological and chemical leaf characteristics to better understand how these traits shape pest dynamics. In addition, her work explores the hydraulic and physiological responses of

Eucalyptus Growth Responses to Planting Density

Kudzai Kundishora is a postgraduate student at EucXylo investigating the effects of planting density on the early growth of four Eucalyptus species at the IMPACT Open Air Laboratory. His research focuses on understanding how species-specific responses interact with spacing to influence growth dynamics, with the broader aim of informing more

Advancing Eucalyptus Stress Physiology and Field-Based Innovation

Ofentse Mathibela is a postdoctoral fellow in the EucXylo programme, working under Prof David Drew. Her research focuses on Eucalyptus responses to environmental stressors, including drought, pests, and pathogens under field conditions. She is also involved in the INSPIRE (Innovation-Africa Stress Physiology & Infection Research Experiment) Open Air Laboratory, a

Advancing Vegetation Monitoring with Drone-Based AI

Anathi Mtimkulu, a researcher in the Department of Forest and Wood Science, is using drone imagery and machine learning to exploring innovative ways to monitor and manage young plantation systems. Her project analyses orthomosaic data to assess how competing vegetation varies across different planting spacings, tree heights, and terrain conditions,

Advancing Forest Canopy Research with Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Maria D. Perles-Garcia is a postdoctoral researcher in forest ecology, specialising in terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and remote sensing. Her work focuses on the three-dimensional structure of forest canopies and how biodiversity, climate variability, and disturbances shape canopy dynamics over time. Using high-resolution 3D data, she investigates how forest structure

Development and Integration of Individual-Tree Growth and Yield Models for Scenario-Based Forest Plantation Management

Isáira develops and refines models for planted forest growth, integrating processes such as competition, photosynthesis, leaf area, hydrology, and soil conditions. The work is supported by data from the IMPACT OAL and the Innovation Africa@UP campus at the University of Pretoria, contributing to improved forest management and decision-making.

Understanding How Young Eucalypts Adapt: A Closer Look at Photosynthesis, Water Use, and Leaf Structure

Eucalyptus trees are not just iconic symbols of the southern hemisphere, they’re also key players in forestry, carbon sequestration, and climate adaptation. But how do young Eucalyptus trees cope with different environments? That’s the question at the heart of Erin Ramsay’s research, which explores how juvenile Eucalyptus species manage water

Characterizing the spatiotemporal dynamics of crown architecture in young eucalypts using LiDAR technology

This project uses terrestrial and airborne laser scanning to model the spatiotemporal dynamics of crown architecture and its influence on young eucalypt performance across multiple species and sites.